William a



Feb. 2 1926. 1,571,495

.W. A. SMLTH AIR LINE LUBRICATOR Filed March 17, 1925 INVENTOR.

IYEIIiGFASmit/z M 141 ORNEi Supported by the'plug Z is a screen Z) preferably of wire gauze which is arranged about the opening X to prevent the admission of foreign matter into the reservoir with the oil.

Suitable means are provided for warning the operator when the oil in the reservoir t} reaches a low level, and for this purpose a plug 0 having a hollow bore 0 and screw threaded at its ends, is secured on top of thereservoir G. A hollow member 0 having an opening f in one side is screwed into the side of the plug 0. In this instance the hollow member e is-in communication with the bore d through a passage 9 formed through a disc in the inner end of the member 6.

Disposed within the bore (Z of the plug 0 is a valve having a reduced portion A: near its outer end. The valve j is normally held in closed position by a float 0 secured to the inner end of the valve j and adapted to be submerged in the oil in the reservoir. In this instance a cap p is screwed to the upper end of the plug 0, and in addition to serving as a stop for the valve j in one direction also forms a pressure chamber q between the end wall of the cap p and the outer end of the plug 0. Pressure fluid is admitted into the chamber g through a passage 1" to balance the pressure against the bottom of the float o.

In operation, the device is attached to the air line B in such a manner that pressure fluid is adapted to enter the chamber D of the casing A, and into the chamber E. The pressure fluid exerts pressure against the flange U of the valve T and raises said valve against the end of the needle valve L. As the valve '1 continues upwardly, the force of the spring It is overcome and the valve L is lifted from its seat, thus permitting oil tobe drawn from the reservoir to the aperture K by the pressure fluid flowing through the chamber 1*]. The oil thus drawn from the reservoir will intermingle with the pressure lluid and be carried thereby to the working parts of the machine.

The movement of the valves T and L is controlled by the volume of air passing through the bore S, so that if additional machines are attached to.the line 13 to be supplied therefrom the valves are accordinglv lifted to a higher point by the increased current volume thus permitting more oil to flow from the reservoir into the air current. On the other hand, it the air consumption, and consequently the current volume, are reduced, the valve will be lowered automati call v and a less amount of oil is drawn from the reservoir. I f the valve 'l is carried upwardly against the end of the projection ti and covers the outer end of the aperture K, the oil may pass through the passage K into the chamber E.

l-ropa the above dewription, it is obvious thence through the bore S that the supply of oil into the pressure fluid 1s at all times proportionate to the amount of air consumed by the machines.

\Vhenever the oil in the reservoir is reduced to a predetermined level, the float 0 and the valve j will follow the oil level until the reduced portion 7a of the valve j is lowered sufliciently to admit pressure fluid into the bore (Z. The pressure fluid thus admitted will flow through the passage 9 into the hollow. member 6 and cause a whistling sound thereby calling the operators attention to the fact that the oil in the reservoir is at a low level. The sound thus produced will continue until the oil in the reservoir is replenished. In this way, the possibility of the machines running dry and causing undue wear on the working parts of the machine is eliminated.

The above described air line lubricator has been found'to function in a very efficient manner and is applicable to a great variety of uses.

I claim:

1. An air line lubricator comprising an oil reservoir, a main pressure fluid passage, a spring pressed tapered valve for controlling the flow of oil from the oil reservoir to the main passage, and a float valve oper ated by pressure fluid for lifting the tapered valve to discharge oil from the main passage, and a tube Within the lubricator for admitting pressure fluid from the main passage into the reservoir to create pressure above the-surface of the oil for forcing the oil into the main passage.

2. An air line lubricator comprising an oil reservoir, a main pressure fluid passage, a valve for controlling the flow of oil from the reservoir to the main passage, automatic means for lifting said valve in one direction, means for signaling when the oil in the reservoir reaches a predetermined level, and a tube for admitting pressure fluid into the reservoir to create pressure above the surface of the oil for forcing the oil into the main passage and for operating the signaling means.

An air line lubricator comprising an oil reservoir, a main pressure fluid passage, a spring pressed tapered valve for controlling the flow of oil from the oil reservoir to themain passage, a float valve operated by pressure fluid for lifting the tapered valve to discharge oil from the main passage, automatic means for audibly signaling when the oil in the reservoir reaches a predetermined level, and a hollow tube for admitting pressure fluid from the main passage into the reservoir above the surface of the oil for forcing the oil from the reservoir into the main passage and for operating the signaling means.

4. An air line lubricator comprising an oil reservoir, :1 main pressure fluid passa a tapered needle valve for controlling the how of oil from the reservoir to the main passage, :1 spring to close the needle valve, a float valve operated by pressure fluid for opening the valve, a hollow plug forming a valve chamber associated with the reservoir, a whistle supported by the plug and in communication with the bore of said plug, a valve slidahle within said plug, a float for holding the valve in normally closed position and for opening the valve when the oil in the reservoir reaches a predetermined level thereby permitting pressure lluid to flow into the whistle and cause a whistling sound, and a hollow tube for admitting pres-. sure fluid into the reservoir above the surface of the oil for forcing the oil out of the reservoir into the main passage and for blowing the Whistle.

5. An air line lubricator comprising an oilreservolr, a main pressure fluid passage,

a vertically arranged spring pressed needle valve having a tapered forward end for com into the bore of said plug, avalve slidable within said plug, a float secured to the valve and controlled by the oil in the reservoir for holding the valve in normally closed position and opening the valve when the oil 111 the reservoir reaches a certain predetermined level thereby permitting pressure fluid to flow into the whistle and cause a whistling sound, and a tube for admitting pressure fluld lrorn the mam passage into the reservolr above the surface of the oil' for creating pressure in the reservoir to force the 011 into the main passage and for blowing the whistle.

'In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM A. SMITH. 

